The Labor enquirer., 1887-06-25
The Children.
La CANADA, CAL, June IL.

La CANADA, CAL, June IL.
In Southern California, here in this land
of oranges, horned toads and land booms.
We started OF early in the morning for
the canon of the Arroyo Seco. For sew
eral miles our horses trotted along over q
good road, passing through punches of
cacti, with their gorgeous red and yellow
flowers, with now and then a magnificent
yucca, which shoots up single stem
sometimes fifteen feet.
On we ride through land doomed up to
several hundred dollars an acre--land on
which you could hardly make living,
everyone is buying and selling, land
Offices are Aourishing and land agents are
waxing fat.
Then we start up the canon, narrow
ravine which twists and turns its serpent
like way up through the mountains. Up
and up until at last We decide to halt and
have some lunch. We get out under the
beautiful trees, where the creek hurrys by
singing its song of freedom, and the blue
sky smiles above, blessing all nature.
After we spread our blanket down and eat
our lunch, then more serions thoughts
come over me. look at my sweet baby
who has gone to sleep. He looks so sweet,
so peaceful and so happy, lying there,
and my heart aches thinking of those
other little ones, those poor, forlorn, for
saken little darlings, dirty, sick, and-oh,
the pity of it-huncry. They are away in
the cities sweltering in the garrets, Ian
gushing in damp, dark cellars, or living
on dirty filthy streets; they are barefooted;
they are naked; they are hungry. Their
tender little bodies and their dear, little,
white souls, being smirched and blackened
and SCARED and scanned by the cruelty Of
man-oh, children Of poverty and crime!
oh, little ones, my mothers heart goes out
to you! If could only take you in my
arms! or if your own poor, suffering
mothers could take you to home
and feed and clothe and cherish you! l
feel like laundering in the ears of this
most Christian people the words of that
same Jesus whom they worship: ''Inds-
much as We hare done il 10 The LEAST OF
THESE, YE HAVE DONE IT UNTO ME-"
Here is the world around me,-fresh air,
pure water, and all of natures gifts, and
yet the children suffer and languish and
die for these. They sing in the churches;
"And only man is vile,' in the silks and
satins, their velvet cushioned pews, while
the tones of the great organ swell with
rich music, and the minister drones out,
servants obey your masters" and "the
poor ye have always with YOU" They
dare to sit and listen while those very
poor are turned from their gates.
But to our pleasuring. After awhile we
walk up to Mr.. Brunk who has lived alone
up in this winding canon for many years,
colossal man, whose soul and heart
have grown great among the mountains
Te asks me about Truth and | am sur
prised that even away down here, TRUTH
'crushed to earth" has found its way
The old man takes the baby on his knee
while tiny tear steals into his eye, think
ing maybe of the 'touch of a vanished
hand, and the sound of voice that is
STILL" He tells me the workingman is SC
blind and stupid that he does not know
what is for his own best interest, and
believe him.
well-home again through the falling
shades of evening, and our trip is over.
ANNA II. +. HASKELL.